Sunday, November 30, 2014

Behind the Scenes of #yrech32

Since today is November's last day and Bonifacio Day but no holiday, allow me to have this huling-hirit post for #yrech32!  I had given you all the glam photos of Cherry Ann's birthday holiday so now let me give you these not-so-glam photos of our bloopers!
The Early Morning No-Ligo Brekky
The Against-the-Light Pictorial
The Umbrella-Photo-Bomber Pictorial
The Jump Shot Fail
The Nga-Nga Experience
The Bedtime Online Marathon
I already miss you, ladies!!!  'Till our next bonding get-away! :)  And thank you for bearing with us, dear blog readers.  'Till the next #tosomtravels diaries! :)

     

Saturday, November 29, 2014

Café Noriter

There's this episode in Sex and the City when Carrie Bradshaw was dumped by a boyfriend through a post-it (2003).  There's also this local movie, My Amnesia Girl which starred Toni Gonzaga and John Lloyd Cruz that made use of plenty of post-its (2010).  Additionally, Matteo Guidicelli swept Maja Salvador off her feet in real-life through post-its (2012)!  And to further mention, I also have my fair share of post-its here.  Post-its are in, post-its are timeless, and post-its are everywhere in this artsy little café in Cebu, the Café Noriter.


Café Noriter is a Korean coffee and smoothie shop brought here in the Philippines by fellow JCI member, Chimin Yun who is 2014 Executive Vice President of JCI Korea-Daegu Daedeok.  I was glad he was wearing a JCI poloshirt when me and my friends visited the place so I got to introduce myself to him.  He was so hospitable but we only spoke little because he has "little English" as he said and air-quoted.  Unfortunately, I also haven't taken any photo with him because I haven't thought of it!  Oh, how silly I was.  I had taken photos all over his place and of ourselves but not one of him.  Maybe I was just overwhelmed that I had found a co-JCI member who accommodated me well and exchanged business cards with.  

But anyway, I was also mesmerized by the place because it was so colorful, so playful, and so vibrant!  In short, I was so giddy by the sight of it.  Café Noriter is just so clever in making use of all the tiny space they've got.  They have cute nooks installed up-and-down that you will not feel crammed once you are settled inside.  It is just so comfortable like home, sitting barefooted and doing whatever you please.


Moreover, Café Noriter can make you feel like a child again!  It is inspired by a playhouse which houses the most comfortable pillows and huggable bears.  We were literally playing like kids while being there!


And just like kids at play when moms also get us something to drink, the drinks at Café Noriter are extra special.  They are extra sweet as the preference of every child but not to us at all.  So we asked for water to neutralize the sweetness of our drinks.  Hehe.....


Thank you, Café Noriter for a fun-filled afternoon!  And thank you, Chimin Yu for a lovely place!


Lastly, since graffiti is all over the place, I was caught in the act writing mine but I didn't have it on a post-it.  Surely, post-its had been part of many love stories but I scribbled on wood so it will stay there until it will be seen!

  
LIKE Café Noriter on Facebook here! :)  But better visit them in their branches in Cebu and Manila.


Friday, November 28, 2014

Feature Friday: Bucket Shrimps

Feature Friday highlights businesses, people, fashion, and basically anything under the sun!


With all the fancy restos and posh resorts we had visited during our latest trip to Cebu for Cherry Ann's birthday, I choose Bucket Shrimps to be my Feature Friday post.  Why?  Reason #1: it is a low-key resto where you can just don your most favorite street wear.  Reason #2: it is a seafood resto where you can eat with your bare hands because that's how seafoods should be eaten.  Reason #3: it is a motoresto (motorist-restaurant) where  you can park and go with a full-loaded tummy.  And reason #4: it is an affordable resto where you can eat and drink all you can because of the 100% yumminess of their dish!

  

Bucket Shrimps serves the best shrimps and mussels in town!  They have it in three sumptuous flavors of sauces:  garlic butter, spicy Cajun, and curry.  The dish was actually simple but heaven when tasted!  It is so delectable and so satisfying that you would want to ask for more cups of rice again and again and again.  T'was a great thing that we visited the place last in our itinerary so we won't worry about bloated stomachs while wearing our swimsuits.   I swear, after eating at Bucket Shrimps, we were catching our breaths upon sitting inside the taxi because we were super full to the brim of our digestive system!


Thank You, Ruth for the Treat! :)
We Give Two Thumbs-Up for Sucking Heads!
Thank You, Bucket Shrimps for a Satisfying Meal!
Visit Bucket Shrimps along Orchid St., Capitol Site, Cebu City for that sucking heads experience! :) 


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Thursday, November 27, 2014

Casa Verde

Photo from Casa Verde's Website
It was my then boardmate in Iligan and roommate in Cebu, Engr. Jennifer Felisilda who first introduced me to Casa Verde.  She always bragged about their baby back ribs and by the time I tried one, I couldn't ever forget how divine it tasted!  It was superb to the max!  The tenderness of the meat melts in your mouth, the sweetness of the sauce lingers in your lips, and the hint of spices plays a myriad of flavors in your tongue.  After that night in Ramos, Cebu City, I officially declared baby back ribs as my favorite dish in the world!


Casa Verde is a Spanish term for "green house", the color of the ancestral family house in Ramos which became the very first Casa Verde restaurant in 2002. (source:  Casa Verde's official website) For more than a decade, the humble restaurant grew to become an American-style casual dining chain of restaurants.  And I am elated I have had visited their Ayala branch in Cebu for a quick lunch the day after Cherry Ann's birthday last week.  With that, I was overjoyed to try the new additions to their menu aside from their house specialty, baby back ribs.

Giant Burger
Giant Shake
Carbonara
So for serious eats, visit Casa Verde in any of their branches listed here in Cebu and also in Manila.  Oh, how I wish there'll be Casa Verde in Ozamiz too so I don't have to wait years to have a taste of their back ribs again.

Ruth Getting Ready for the Umph of the Hefty Ribs
Quennie Enjoying the Mouth-Watering Ribs
See You Next Time, Casa Verde! :)



Wednesday, November 26, 2014

White Castle















pearl headdress and owl cover-up from cherry ann.  dior silver earrings from june ann.  star silver bangle from cattleya mae.  white bandeau swimsuit from april love.  havaianas slippers from me.  location at Mövenpick Hotel Mactan Island Cebu.   FFF


Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Fiesta Bay Asian Seafood Restaurant


Filipino restaurants are always at their best in Cebu just like Hukad sa Golden Cowrie.  For our recent trip, I'm privileged enough to have had tried another authentic Filipino cuisine at Fiesta Bay Asian Seafood Restaurant.  Now here's our top Fiesta Bay picks!

Fresh Lumpia for Starters
Fish Kinilaw for Appetizer
Baked Scallops for Appetizer
Fish Sinigang for Soup
Garlic Steak for Main Course
Chicken Pandan for Main Course
Crispy Pata for Main Course
Caramelized Coco Doughnuts for Dessert
The food was great, great, great from starters to main course to dessert!  The fresh lumpia was nutty which I love, the kinilaw's tangy taste was just so right, the baked scallops were creamy, the sinigang was truly asim-kilig, my fave chicken pandan was sarap to the bones, and the star of the table crispy pata was so namnam!  However, the garlic steak appeared not so good to my taste buds and the mini doughnuts were a bit oily.  But all in, I give the total package a very high 9.9 for the chicken and pork pata bones me and Ruth savored!  


The ambiance of the place is also commendable for big groups of people.  There's plenty of room for every family, barkada, and workmates.  And the best thing that we love most of the resto is their personalized service.  An attendant in waiting is assigned for each table who is very sensitive to all your needs.  From big needs like taking your photos (for my case) to small needs like assisting you as you take your seat, taking care of your belongings so you can eat properly, passing the tissue holder around, and cleaning your mess on the table right away.  And the biggest bonus, Archo coughed and then came suddenly the hot water with lemon.  Cherry Ann said that her head was aching and then came instantly the aspirin.  Finally, together with the whole staff, a surprise birthday song and a birthday cupcake were given to Cherry Ann!  That's just how sweet our waiter Renneth was!  Catering to our needs even if it's already beyond the scope of his job.  Thank you so much for taking so much care of us, Renneth! :)


I definitely wanna go back to Fiesta Bay Asian Seafoood Restaurant to have a taste of their lobsters someday!  So if by chance you're gonna visit Cebu, drop by at Fiesta Bay along Punta Engao Road, Mactan Island.  It is just right across Mövenpick Hotel Mactan Island Cebu if in case you'll get lost.




Handicrafts that are perfect for pasalubong are also available at the resto where Ruth got a pretty little shell for Naiah.  :)